Remembering Him is Not Just a December Thing

December is here and we have been busily preparing for Zone Conference and visiting our members during this holiday season.

On December 1 we had a family night at the church.  We pulled out our Christmas tree and everyone had a great time decorating the tree for our little branch!

Daniela and Eole getting started

The missionaries helping

Paolo looking on

Starting to look like a Christmas tree

Bonnie and the missionaries admiring their great work

 One of the services Bonnie does for the missionaries is an occasional haircut.  The Elders thought they ought to get their hair cut before the Zone Conference, so Bonnie got out her shears and went to work!  She trims the Sisters' hair on occasion as well.  Anything we can do to serve is fine with us!

Cutting Elder Johnson's hair first

Then Elder Moa

We (meaning Bonnie) were in charge of the refreshments for this December Zone Conference.  Since it was just before Christmas, we thought that all the missionaries should have a "goodie bag" to take with them when they left the conference.  So Thursday was a baking day!

Banana Cupcakes, with buttercream frosting

Getting ready to feed the missionaries

Our missionaries received some great training from our mission president and the zone leaders.  Then they broke up in groups and did some role playing to better learn how they could use the social media that most people now have as teaching and finding tools.

Elders Johnson and Moa doing a role play

Sisters Salmond and Remund doing the same

Since our mission president wanted the missionaries back on the road by 1 pm, he decided not to have a lunch for them, just a dessert to accompany a half-hour Christmas caroling event after the training.  Bonnie made some scrumptious brownies and her famous banana cake cupcakes.  We served that with some crema ice cream at the conclusion of the conference.

 

The "Goodie Bag"

Then, for the "goodie bag", Bonnie and Sister Hyde put together rice crispy treats, peanut butter/chocolate bars, congo bars, chocolate covered pretzels, and some clementines (so they would have something healthy) to take with them.  Bonnie tied them all up with a ribbon with some pine boughs and cones she found on one of her hikes, and she included a quote about Christmas from President Monson.  It was a lot of work, but we are sure the missionaries appreciated it.

And always a message to teach the doctrine

After the Zone Conference we took our elders with us to visit some members that live far from Siena.  We visited a sister who is from Brazil, but has moved to Italy looking for work.  Her friend is from Romania, and isn't a member yet, but he wants to learn more.  We hope the elders will be able to teach him the gospel.

Bonnie, Nena, Daniel, Elders Johnson and Moa

On Saturday Siena held its annual Christmas Fair.  There were about 150 booths set up in Piazza del Campo displaying their wares.  We walked through the Fair and enjoyed the atmosphere.  We even bought some goodies to share with our members and missionaries.

An old-fashioned book press that Kristine would appreciate

Later that afternoon we held a Baby Shower for Lorena, a member of our branch who will be having a little baby girl in January.  The sisters in our branch decorated the Relief Society Room in the way that only the Relief Society can, and everyone had a good time!

A cake made of diapers and socks

Lorena enjoying the gifts for her little baby

We continue to struggle to get our members out to church on Sundays.  Yesterday we only had nine members in church.  Some were sick or had to work, or had other excuses for not coming.  It can get discouraging sometimes, but we need to remember that it is our responsibility to teach correct doctrine, to be an example of the believers, and to invite people to participate in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Then we can only pray that they will accept the invite and seek to gain and/or strengthen their testimonies in the restored gospel.

As we continue to celebrate this festive season, may we all commit to be a little bit better today than we were yesterday, and to be a little bit better tomorrow than we were today.  May we be a light set up on a hill and may we shine forth as followers of our Redeemer who was born into the world as a babe in a manger, who grew into the God he always was, and voluntarily took upon himself our sins and sorrows in the greatest selfless sacrifice of all time.  It is because of him that we will rise again, and have the opportunity to enjoy eternal life with our families forever.  That is the message of Christmas!